One of the best ways to learn about a river is to get on it. Interested, but not sure how? Participate in a river sojourn!

Paddlers on the Delaware River Sojourn. Photo by the DRBC.

What is a Sojourn?

Sojourns are guided paddling and camping trips, combining on-water experiences and educational learning opportunities. They are suited for folks of all skill levels; equipment is provided, and river guides teach basic instruction and help keep paddlers safe while on the water. Folks can join for a day, several or the whole thing, making sojourns the perfect first experience with paddling.

Since 1995, the Delaware River Sojourn has been bringing paddlers of all ages & experience levels on the Delaware River, creating new stewards of this precious resource. Getting out on the river provides that direct connection to & appreciation for the water, and to do so in a safe, welcoming and fun environment helps foster that feeling for a lifetime.

Delaware River Sojourn 2024

Typically held the third full week in June, the 2024 Delaware River Sojourn took place June 15-22; a one-day volunteer river cleanup was held on June 14. This year, ~80 miles of the Delaware River were paddled, including two days on the upper Delaware River, two days on the middle Delaware, three days on the lower Delaware and one day on the tidewaters.

This year's theme was "River of Inspiration," a nod to the generations of artists, outdoor enthusiasts, scientists and everyday people who are inspired by their experiences on or along the Delaware River.

The secondary theme to this year's trip was the heat! Folks paddled six of the eight days in a heat wave, with temps over 90 degrees each day; while we all were perspiring, the river soothed us with its cool waters.

• Learn more about the Delaware Sojourn
  
  
• View DRBC News Release Announcing the 2024 Delaware River Sojourn (April 2024)

Safety & Equipment

The Delaware River Sojourn is ever grateful for our partners at the National Canoe Safety Patrol (NCSP) for providing safety and land support and at Northeast Wilderness Experience (NEWE) for providing boat shuttle and full rental services.

Each year, the NCSP provides volunteers to lead and participate on the on-water safety team, as well as volunteers for our land support crew. This year's low water & hot weather each held unique challenges, and the teams kept us safe and healthy on water and on land, ensuring folks had plenty to keep them hydrated and fueled. The NCSP is an all-volunteer organization, and in addition to its work on the Sojourn, its members are out on the upper Delaware River each summer weekend helping people stay safe when recreating on the river. Learn more about the organization at the above link – they are always looking for new members!

Similarly, each year we work with the fine folks at NEWE, who provide rental equipment - kayaks, paddles and life jackets - for sojourners, as well as handle, shuttle and care for all of the boats on the Sojourn. They are fully committed to the Sojourn and its mission, and it is a pleasure working with them each year. NEWE provides recreational opportunities for people year-round in the upper Delaware; check them out at the above link.

2024 Sojourn Programming

In addition to sharing the stories of those inspired by the river, programming also highlighted important partner organizations, stewardship efforts throughout the watershed and the ongoing work being done to improve the Delaware River and preserve its environment and rich history.

Program highlights included:

• Presentations from historians, artists, government agencies, environmental organizations and tourism groups, including the NPS Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River, Upper Delaware Council, Friends of the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area and Explore Warren County.
  
  
• Folks from the Lenape Nation of PA, who lead us through some of the most sacred river to their people, from the Brodhead Creek's confluence with the Delaware to and through the Delaware Water Gap. The Nation's Shelley DePaul also spoke to sojourners at Kittatinny Point, telling stories and further explaining the history of the Lenape and their presence in the region today.
  
  
• A video message from U.S. Representative Thomas Kean, Jr.
  
  
• A water quality demonstration by DRBC Water Resource Scientist Elaine Panuccio and NPS Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area Physical Scientist Jonathan Malzone.
  
  
• Remarks from the Northampton County Executive Lamont G. McClure, Jr., Warren County Commissioner James R. Kern III and Phillipsburg, N.J. Mayor Ray Piazza, Jr.
  
  
• At Washington Crossing Historic Park, we were joined by reenactors from the Friends of Washington Crossing Park, who demonstrated first-hand how folks who stayed there in 1776 may have lived, and we received tours of many of the historic buildings on site.
  
  
• An in camp performance by The Chicklets from Lambertville, N.J.
  
  
• At Pennsbury Manor, we toured the property, experienced their new exhibit nkwiluntamen and heard from Historic Site Administrator Doug Miller about not just the history of William Penn but also of his relationship with the Lenape people.

2024 High Admiral & 1000-Mile Paddler Honorees

Each year, the Sojourn honors people and organizations who are doing important work for the river and its watershed as High Admirals. The name is taken from the story of Daniel Skinner, a timber rafter from the late 1800s who was known as the Lord High Admiral of the Delaware River.

2024 honorees included:

• Andy Boyar, for his lifetime of service to the Upper Delaware, including as the Town of Highland representative to the Upper Delaware Council
  
  
• Sullivan County Planning Director Heather Jacksy
  
  
• Artist & Historian Marie Liu
  
  
• Mike Topping, for his long-term service to Northampton County & dedication to the environment
  
  
• Northampton County Parks and Lehigh Valley Greenways, for their 50th and 20th anniversaries, respectively
  
  
• Lambertville, N.J. Mayor Andrew Nowick, for his commitment to making Lambertville a more resilient community in the face of climate change
  
  
• Pennsbury Manor's Doug Miller, for his dedicated stewardship of Pennsbury Manor that ensures visitors and community members will continue to be connected to Penn's legacy, now and into the future

Recently, the Sojourn also began honoring individuals who have paddled more than 1,000 miles on the Delaware River Sojourn. This generally includes folks who have paddled the entire trip for ~15 years; so far, about 10 people have been recognized!

Sojourn Funding

The Sojourn is a not-for-profit event and is ever appreciative of the generous support it receives. The regional supermarket cooperative ShopRite has sponsored the Delaware River Sojourn annually since 2013; individual donors & corporate matches also provide valuable support. The Sojourn receives grant funding from the Pennsylvania Organization for Watersheds and Rivers, the Lower Delaware National Wild and Scenic Rivers Program and PPL. These funds help keep costs as low as possible for participants and support the Sojourn's reduced fees for youth and its educational programs.

2024 Sojourn In the News

• Lehigh Valley News: 'Absolutely gorgeous': About 100 paddle down the Delaware River for annual sojourn; by Molly Bilinski, June 19, 2024
  
  
• Delaware Currents: Delaware River sojourners revel in nature and camaraderie; by Cloey Callahan, June 22, 2024

The DRBC & the Delaware Sojourn

The DRBC has been involved with the Delaware River Sojourn since the late 1990s. Currently, the DRBC's Kate Schmidt serves on the Delaware River Sojourn Steering Committee, which plans the annual event. The committee is comprised of government agency representatives, non-profit organizations, local businesses and individual volunteers, all of whom share the same goals of introducing people to paddling and helping teach about our waterways in a safe, guided and fun environment.

Over the years, DRBC staff has also participated in this paddling adventure and provided programming. Getting out on the river, meeting other paddlers and talking about what we do to manage, protect and improve the Basin's water resources helps connect us with our publics and stakeholders.

This year, DRBC staff provided two programs, both on June 18. At our lunch stop at Kittatinny Point in the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area (DEWA), staff spoke to sojourners briefly about the history of Tocks Island, the creation of the DRBC and how we work today to bring folks together across the four states to partner, educate and engage one another. And, while in camp at Worthington State Forest, DRBC's Water Resource Scientist Elaine Panuccio partnered with NPS DEWA's Physical Scientist Jonathan Malzone to lead a water quality demonstration. The DRBC and NPS partner to monitor water quality in the non-tidal river for the DRBC's Special Protection Waters Program, and sojourners got to see the various equipment used to monitor, as well as learn about what we are monitoring and why.

Other Sojourns in the DRB

Several other sojourns take place annually in the DRB: the Schuylkill, Lehigh and Lackawaxen rivers all have multi-day sojourns, and there is also the one-day Perkiomen Creek Sojourn.

  • Schuylkill River Sojourn

  • Lehigh River Sojourn

  • Perkiomen Creek Sojourn

  • Lackawaxen River Sojourn (inaugural event in 2024!)

The Sojourn Mission

Sojourns enable people to get real-life exposure to our region's waterways and are a great way to learn about our rivers and connect with other paddlers. The goal is that these experiences will create new stewards of our waters, making people more aware of the impacts their actions and daily habits have on the environment and of what they can do to help protect our shared water resources.

The DRBC thanks everyone who helps make a river sojourn possible! Planning these events is a lot of hard work, but seeing the smiles on paddlers' faces at the end of the day makes it all worth it.

We hope to see you on a DRB river sojourn next year!

The boats are all trailered and ready for the day's paddle. Photo by the DRBC.	Sojourners paddle the Delaware River. Photo by the DRBC.	Sojourners take a break after going through a rapid. Photo by the DRBC.	Sojourners paddle the Delaware River. Photo by the DRBC.
Sojourners sit in the shade for the mandatory safety briefing. Photo by the DRBC.	The Lenape Nation of PA's Shelley DePaul addresses sojourners at Kittatinny Point. Photo by the DRBC.	The kayaks are all lined up and ready to get in the water. Photo by the DRBC.	Sojourners stop for a swim break. Photo by the DRBC.
One fun activity on the Sojourn is swimming through the rapid between Walls & Prahls islands. Photo by the DRBC.	Sojourners get back in the water at Washington Crossing Historic Park. Photo courtesy of the Delaware River Greenway Partnership.	Sojourners paddle the tidal Delaware River. Photo by the DRBC.	Sojourners salute High Admiral Andrew Nowick (in hat), Mayor of Lambertville. Photo by the DRBC.
DRBC's Elaine Panuccio and NPS DEWA's Jonathan Malzone collect a water sample from the river during the water quality demo. Photo by the DRBC.	DRBC's Elaine Panuccio and NPS DEWA's Jonathan Malzone demonstrate how we collect macroinvertebrates, which are an important biological indicator of clean water. Photo by the DRBC.	DRBC's Elaine Panuccio and NPS DEWA's Jonathan Malzone take questions from the audience after the water quality demo. Photo by the DRBC.	A sampling of the various pieces of equipment used to monitor water quality in DRBC's Special Protection Waters, as well as a few preserved samples. Photo by the DRBC.